Most recent posts have focused on the basis for forming an Architectural Control Committee (ACC) and the “nuts and bolts” of how they are formed. We will now move forward and discuss some of the tools that an ACC will likely need in order to effectively function.
First things first….the ACC needs to have a clear understanding of its scope of responsibility and also clear benchmarks for the standards to which items that come before the ACC will be “judged”. Both of these issues can be best documented and clarified by way of creating ACC Standards (or Guidelines) for the Committee. This simple but imperative document is the “bible” by which your ACC will operate.
Some basic foundational requirements for your ACC Standards/Guidelines:
- Requirements for participating on the Committee
- Duration of terms
- Clear expectations for availability and/or email/internet access
- Manner in which approval/denial will be reached (majority vote? unanimous?)
- Scope of projects subject to review
- Clearly defined expectations for owner submittal of projects (format, timeframes)
- CONCISE standards for review (congruent with standards defined in CC&R’s)
- Landscaping – number of plantings, size of plantings
- Example – Deciduous trees must be non-fruit bearing and minimum of 2inch caliper at time of planting. Evergreens must be 6’ tall at time of planting.
Your time spent in developing a well-defined and concise set of Standards/Guidelines will pay significant dividends, as it sets the bar for not only the behavior of your ACC, but also informs Owners at to expectations and criteria. More on the latter (Owners) interactions with the ACC in our next post.
